Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and thank him for coming to the House. I have not spoken to him about this issue in the Seanad, but the Minister of State has been here.

The issue I am raising is the transfer of lands for the redevelopment of the national rehabilitation service facility on Rochestown Avenue in Dún Laoghaire, in respect of which there is huge expectation, as there have been three false starts. There appear, however, to be a number of complications. I am a former member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council which was involved in rezoning a substantial strip of land to facilitate the development of neighbouring facilities and the hospital. This increased the value of the land and there was an expectation that some of it would be sold and part of the money ring-fenced for the facility. There now appears to be a suggestion there were difficulties with the religious order in question - the Sisters of Mercy. I acknowledge the enormous work done by the Sisters of Mercy, the board of management of the hospital and the doctors and staff at every level who face enormous difficulties in their work. The place I took the time to visit two weeks ago is unfit for purpose. It is a disgrace and an indictment of the health service.

I am reliably advised that more than 200 patients in acute beds throughout the country are waiting to get into the hospital. I also understand there is a waiting list of in excess of 80 patients to access day services in the facility. This is the national rehabilitation hospital. The service is stretched, but the new facility will not be what it was originally meant to be. It was announced with great fanfare by the previous Government. The former Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, was present, as was former Deputy Eamon Gilmore, to announce great plans for the place. I understand, however, that there were setbacks and financial considerations which limited the scope of the development.

We need to go back in time slightly. I do not want to give a history lesson, but we know from documents that in 1961 a trust was set up with the then health authorities, the Sisters of Mercy and the facility. The facility was to be used entirely to provide rehabilitation services. Will the Minister look at the conditions under which the trust was established to see how they affected the lands?Has there been any progress since the previous Minister was in here in sorting out the land issue? We know that it was covered in a number of national papers during the summer. There was confirmation from various elements of this project that there were difficulties. There is no doubt that there are difficulties. I am more interested in hearing solutions and, more than anything, hearing when this project is actually going to happen. I thank the Minister for coming to the House and I look forward to hearing what he has to say.